One constraint that 5G has highlighted is the contradictory nature of spectrum assets used to support mobile communications. Ideally, a service provider wants both high capacity and high coverage. Unfortunately, there always is a trade off between these two desired attributes.
Given that other licensed users have claim to much of the low-band and mid-band spectrum, mobile operators now must turn for capacity support to high-band spectrum, including millimeter wave and eventually teraHertz frequencies as well.
Spectrum sharing will help, in markets where governments allow it. Spectrum reassignment might help, but always is politically charged and difficult, as well as time-consuming and expensive.
Right now, it is easy to find critics of millimeter assets. Eventually, global mobile operators will have no choice but to figure out how to use it.
Of course, if customers stop using bandwidth at ever-higher amounts--and faster speeds--that could change. But nobody seems to favor destroying the market and the value of mobile communications by raising prices so much that people decide to moderate their usage.
Up to this point Wi-Fi offload has effectively functioned as a prop to mobile data use, and should continue to be important as one way of keeping traffic off the mobile network. Small cells, better radios and modulation techniques also help.
Still, that can help only so much. Eventually, we move to millimeter wave spectrum for capacity increases.
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